This Article is From May 17, 2010

Parties want all-out efforts to stamp out Maoist menace

New Delhi: Parties across the political spectrum on Monday said the Maoist killings in Dantewada district in Chhattisgarh exposed the "barbarity" of Naxal movement and called for all-out efforts to neutralise the threat.

"Naxals are a threat to Indian democracy. India cannot be seen as a soft state and this menace has to be fought in a comprehensive manner," BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman, whose party rules Chhattisgarh, said.

She said that it was a "very grave day" for Indian democracy as the country was facing an armed group which does not recognise the Indian Constitution.

Congress spokesman Manish Tewari said, "The attack is reprehensible and abhorrent, to say the least. It exposes the barbarity of the Maoist-Naxalite movement."

He said that the killing of innocent civilians is also a manifestation of their frustration and every such cowardly attack only stiffens our resolve to neutralise the Maoists through a robust security system.

CPM politburo member Sitaram Yechury said the incident took place despite government assurances that all efforts will be made to prevent such attacks from recurring.

"The government should immediately make all-out efforts to safeguard innocent lives and re-establish the rule of civic administration in these areas," he said.

Sitharaman said, "We have to look at it not only from the law and order or security point of view but also in terms of development and ideological differences as they do not believe in the Constitution."

The BJP leader said Maoists ruled the roost in several districts and it is important to reclaim these districts.
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